Pre-regulation announcement sales will be transferable--BUT NOT REFUNDABLE. <o:p></o:p>

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I have every reason to believe May 19th will be correct. Unfortunately, these are dark times in Federal Fisheries Management. <o:p></o:p>

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The law governing all of fisheries management, the Magnuson Act, is just beginning to be re-written; its currently being discussed by our representatives. I hope many will follow-along with my fish reports and write letters to DC. <o:p></o:p>

We can & must influence the conversation. We Have To Re-Insert Common Sense Into Management's Tool Kit. <o:p></o:p>

Despite having wasted a century fooling-around with shell as an artificial reef substrate, I believe as soon as we're focused on man-made artificial substrates with lots of vertical surface we'll see huge gains in oyster restoration. <o:p></o:p>

Have a fair bit of artificial reef funding for the Chesapeake right now & think its about to double. I hope to see a reef built in MD's lower Chesapeake where we put the whole reef--including the reef's interior--to work: not just the veneer as in a shell-pile. Bundle concrete pipe pyramids together and layer boulder overtop.. Sheepshead & tautog will flourish amidst the oysters. <o:p></o:p>

No matter how good our vital air & water pollution controls, buffer zones, impervious surface improvements & storm water management; Without the region's natural estuarine biofilter--Oyster Reef, the ocean will continue to grow greener.. <o:p></o:p>

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My point here is this: No one -- nobody -- is looking at remnant natural oyster reef saying, "not very big. Must not be very important." <o:p></o:p>

That's because everyone knows the story of oyster reef loss. <o:p></o:p>

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But our greening ocean is NOT documented. Our corals remain a fuzzy bit of fish-talk, not science. <o:p></o:p>

"Patch Reefs." <o:p></o:p>

Not very big. <o:p></o:p>

Small isn't important. <o:p></o:p>

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Had a retired airline pilot stop by the boat in 2003 or so. Said he's flown an east coast route to Florida for 30 years. Told me when he started the ocean was blue to his left and green to his right flying south. Time he retired it was green all the way to the horizon..<o:p></o:p>

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Last year I had green water in the Baltimore Canyon 60 miles out one day. When I was in my late teens/early twenties guys were complaining about green water 20 miles out at the Jackspot..<o:p></o:p>

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From 1950 to 1959 commercial fishers caught more sea bass than in every decade since combined. <o:p></o:p>

I bet right then - while those sea bass were being trawled up in the 1950s - I bet we suffered 60% or more of our natural-reef bottom loss from gear damage.. <o:p></o:p>

Scientists ALWAYS dismiss these corals as "just small patches.." <o:p></o:p>

Well, Yes. That's because all I can show them what's left.. They have to try and understand what a huge difference there is between the electronics of today & the lack of electronics then. Used to be a skipper could take clients to a reef measured in square miles with just a compass and depth sounder. Now sometimes those hundred square foot drops look enticing.. <o:p></o:p>

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I've seen AWESOME sea bass fishing in my life. 2003, the 6th year of official cbass management, was incredible. Yet I can scarcely imagine what they had in 1950 ..I'm positive we're a long way from it. <o:p></o:p>

The food web disruption must be enormous. <o:p></o:p>

These habitats necessary for fish to feed, shelter, grow to maturity & spawn - these "small patches" of Essential Fish Habitat sure could use a scientific look without 'too small' resentment. <o:p></o:p>